Intermittent fasting can help support a healthier lifestyle.
Fasting every other day (alternate day fasting) could hold the secret to a longer healthier life suggests a recent study1 in which 30 healthy people, between the ages of 48 and 52, were asked to eat for only 12 hours in every 48.
After four weeks the researchers found that the group had on average lost 3.5kg, eaten 35 per cent fewer calories, and had less belly fat. What’s more they also had lower levels of the chemicals in the body which have been linked to inflammation or age-related diseases.
Despite these benefits the researchers urge caution. This way of eating is not for everyone and more studies are needed to prove its benefits over the long term. Meanwhile, it is advisable to consult your GP before considering such a diet even in the short term.
Are you getting enough Vitamin D?
As summer fades and autumn starts to make a show it’s time to stock up on vitamin D. Why? As the days get shorter and the sun sinks lower in the sky our skin can’t synthesise vitamin D naturally like it can in the summer months.
Egg yolks, oily fish – think herring, mackerel, salmon and sardines – meat, fat liver and kidney are food sources of vitamin D but most of us don’t eat enough of them to get enough, making a daily supplement a good idea. The advice from Public Health England (PHE) is that we should all take a daily 10mcg supplement between October and March.
Breast Cancer Awareness
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a worldwide campaign to highlight the importance of breast awareness, education and research. Make this the year you show your support throughout the month, but especially on Pink Friday, October 19thth. Wear something pink and join up with colleagues, friends and family and organise a party with pink food and drink to help raise vital funds for breast cancer. For more ideas visit the wear it pink website.
1 Stekovic S, Hofer SJ, Tripolt N, et al.Alternate Day Fasting Improves Physiological and Molecular Markers of Aging in Healthy, Non-obese HumansCell Metabolism. Published online 27 August 2019
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